Amarone della Valpolicella 2016
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From our sommelier team
A cult, ultra-traditionalist Amarone from Veneto made with an unusually long, controlled appassimento and extended barrel aging, producing a dense, dry, powerfully structured wine far from the region's sweeter norm.
Dal Forno Romano's Amarone is built around Corvina, Rondinella, Croatina and Oseleta grapes dried in the estate's climate-controlled fruttaio for roughly three months before pressing — longer than most Amarone producers use, concentrating flavor via computer-controlled fans and airflow. Fruit comes from the estate's oldest vines, planted at very high density (~11,000 vines/hectare), an approach Romano Dal Forno pioneered as a break from traditional wider spacing. After slow fermentation to full dryness — no residual sweetness, unlike some regional wines — the wine ages in new oak for an extended period, commonly cited around three years, followed by further bottle aging. The result is unusually dense and powerful for the category: dark, dried-fruit intensity over firm tannin and considerable alcohol, built for very long cellaring rather than early drinkability.
Producer history
Romano Dal Forno began making wine under his own name in 1983, having grown frustrated with low grape prices his family received selling to others in Valpolicella. Self-taught, he credits an early meeting with Giuseppe Quintarelli — Amarone's defining traditionalist — as reshaping his approach. He rapidly built a reputation as one of the zone's most quality-obsessed producers, distinguished by radically higher vineyard density and a highly controlled, extended appassimento in purpose-built drying rooms. The estate remains family-run, with son Marco now continuing Romano's work. Dal Forno Romano is widely regarded as a benchmark, cult-status Amarone producer, though it remains a small estate.
Signature pairings
- Braised short rib with root vegetables — The wine's density and firm tannin need a long-braised, richly fatty dish of comparable weight; short rib's collagen-rich texture matches without being overwhelmed.
- Aged Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano — A classic regional match — the savory intensity of a long-aged hard cheese stands up to Amarone's power and dried-fruit concentration.
- Dark chocolate torte — Dried-fruit, raisinated concentration bridges well with bittersweet dark chocolate, best with a low-sugar, high-cocoa preparation given the wine itself is dry.
Dal Forno Romano has operated since 1986 in the Valpolicella Classica zone, building a reputation for uncompromising appassimento technique. The 2016 Amarone draws from hillside vineyards in the Negrar subzone, where Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara ripen on calcareous clay soils at 200–300 metres elevation, benefiting from cool nights that preserve acidity during the long ripening season.
Fruit undergoes selective hand-harvesting and three to four months of controlled drying in temperature-regulated facilities—a deliberate departure from traditional open-air appassimento, allowing Dal Forno to manage oxidation and mold risk with precision. Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled stainless steel, followed by 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks (no new wood), then additional bottle age. This regime preserves the wine's acidity and aromatic complexity rather than imposing oak extraction.
The 2016 vintage benefits from a warm, dry growing season that concentrated phenolic ripeness; the extended appassimento and large-cask aging have integrated the dried-fruit character into a structured, age-worthy frame. Drinking beautifully now, with 15–20 years of cellar potential ahead.
Details
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Veneto
- Subregion
- Amarone della Valpolicella
- Variety
- Corvina
- Vintage
- 2016
- Bottle size
- 750 ml
Taste profile
- Body
- Full
- Acidity
- Medium
- Tannin
- Medium-High
Pairs well with
- Grilled red meat & steak
- Hard & aged cheese
- Tomato-based pasta
- Duck & game birds
- Lamb dishes
Sommelier’s pick: Braised beef short ribs with rosemary and red wine reduction · Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano with quince paste · Venison ragù with pappardelle
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